Tuesday, October 30, 2012

NETHER SOUL: An Interview with YA Author Bonnie Rae

Bonnie, welcome back to
Small World, Big Dreams!It's great to
be back! Thanks for having me!!

Give us a little insight on
your newest release,NETHER SOUL.NETHER SOUL is the darker, more action based sort of
unraveling to the characters that you met in NETHER BOUND. Everyone is fighting
some type of demon. Whether it be internally or actual demons, no one is safe
this time around.

Sounds deliciously interesting. Tell us, what was your inspiration
for this series?Growing up in a strict
Catholic home talking about Hell or the Devil was practically forbidden unless
it was in Sunday School or a Church sermon type setting. So, as a child I was
naturally curious about the darker side of religion. Now as an adult and a
writer I was able to explore my curiosity and create a pretty neat story from it
all. This is a definite good versus evil story, but instead of shying away from
evil my characters have to look their fears in the eyes and learn to gain
strength in order to conquer this evil.

What is your greatest
challenge when starting a new novel?Staying focused! I know that sounds insane, right?
You would think I would be focused all the time with a new idea and everything,
but no. As a writer I have so many ideas and all of them want my attention. I
have to make sure I set a certain amount of time aside every day just for the
novel I am currently working on. That doesn't mean all of my other muses in time-out quietly waiting their turn. Everyone always has something to say!
=P

Just listening to the voices in your head. I see, I see. So, do your novels require
research? And if so, do you research before you get started or as you
go?Yes, yes they do! I am touching on
subjects that involve the coming war between Heaven and Hell on Earth so I can't
get my hands on enough research. I will research before I start and always as I
go. In my world research is ongoing.

How does this novel differ
from its predecessor, NETHER BOUND?This novel is much darker. I went back and forth
with some things, almost taking two scenes out because I thought they might be
too much. But in the end I left them in. They are essential for character transformation.

Indubitably. Without giving away too
much, tell us your favorite scene in this new book.My absolute favorite scene is when Ava is at the
ball in Nether World. She is given a very intriguing gift and I very much
enjoyed writing that scene!!!

How about your favorite
character? And why him/her?Ava will
always be my favorite. She is so much a part of me and who I was growing up.
Devon is my second favorite. His ability to love Ava unconditionally no matter
what is inspiring.

If you could introduce
one of your characters to any other character from any other book, who would it be and
why?Omg, this is an awesome question!!
I would have to say I would love to see Lilith meet Bellatrix Lastrange from
Harry Potter. I mean they are both bad girls, beautiful in their own evil way,
and totally dying for their sinister master's attention. Two evil attention
seekers locked in a room together. I'd love to be a fly on that
wall!

Tell us about your writing
space.You mean my desk and walls full
of organized chaos? I love it. My office is my own little slice of writing
heaven! I have story boards from all of my novels on the walls as well as notes
and research everywhere. Also, there are cats. My cats are always with me when I
am writing. You should see the cat hair I clean out of my keyboard.

What really gets your muse
ticking?Books and Music! Oh, how I
love music so much!! Music inspires scene after scene in all of my
novels!!

Tomorrow's one of the biggest holidays of the year. Any memorable experiences from Halloweens' past?My most memorable are from when I was a kid. My mom
and aunt would take me trick or treating and afterwards as we sifted through my
candy we listened to Monster Mash and watched Charlie Brown and the Great
Pumpkin.

I love that movie!! Anything else you'd like to share
with us today?Don't be afraid to break the rules.
Writing about Heaven and Hell isn't an easy task, but I knew there was an
awesome story I had to tell mixed into it. I might mention the Devil and demons,
but in the end my books are about being strong and conquering your fears.
Writing is an adventurous journey. Sometimes we don't always know what paths are
muses will take us down. Embrace your ideas and let your creativity flow. Be
happy and love what you write, don't ever let anyone bully you out of an idea.
Thank you to everyone that has taken a chance on NETHER BOUND and now NETHER SOUL. Also, thank you to all of the writing communities and blogs that are
hosting me this week. Being a part of such wonderful writing communities is the
best support system any author can have.

Thanks again for joining us, Bonnie! If YOU, Gentle Reader, would like to win an ebook copy of Bonnie Rae's newest release, NETHER SOUL, all you've gotta do is leave a comment with your email address. The winner will be randomly picked and announced this Saturday, November 3. You may also purchaseNETHER SOUL for $1.99 on Amazon.com. :)

Good luck to everyone! Oh, I almost forgot! For a limited time, NETHER BOUND, the first book in the Nether Series, is available for FREE on Amazon.com. Happy reading!

Peace, Love, and Junior Mints,

ABOUT THE AUTHOR﻿

Bonnie Rae spent her early childhood in the sunny state of California. At the time, she was an only child with a very large imagination. Thanks to her Grandmother, the love of reading books started at a very young age. Every walk to the grocery store meant an ice cream cone and a new Little Golden Book. Through books, Bonnie learned you could be transported into other worlds. The addiction was instant.At age eleven, her grandparents gave her E.B. White's Charlotte's Web for her birthday. Even though she was completely grossed out when it came to spiders (and still is), Charlotte's Web fascinated her. A spider that was able to weave words and befriend a pig? Bonnie then realized not only could books provide imaginary worlds, they confirmed anything was possible. She might have only been eleven, but she knew writing was what she wanted to do.She started her first set of novels at the age of sixteen and has been writing ever since.Bonnie currently lives in California with her wonderful husband and two very spoiled cats.